The present invention relates to removable liquid container bases in general. More specifically to a docking station for a coffee mug permitting the mug to sit on a stationary flat surface and with the capability of being placed in a vehicle cup holder when the station base is removed from the mug.
Previously, many types of bases have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means to stabilize a coffee mug or cup when sitting on a flat surface to increase the footprint of the container. In most cases the base is an integral part of the mug or cup and is effective in increasing the stability of the liquid container however is not removable and is therefore limited in its usefulness.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that possess any of the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
Letsch et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,888 discloses a carafe with an inner container surrounded by a casing. The inner container and the casing have an opening at the top which may be closed by a separate plug. The plug and opening in the container and casing are shaped such that it is possible to fill or empty the inner container while the plug is still in the opening. The plug and container both have mating grooves that provide opposed flow paths into and out of the container. The container also includes a basin around the top for receiving coffee from a coffee maker and the plug has openings to provide a flow path from the basin into the container interior.
Karp in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,703 teaches a travel mug that includes a container and a lid in combination. The container has a handle and an annular lip that has an annulus capable of forming a seal with the top side of the annular lip. A cylindrical well in the lid has a vertical dividing wall such that the lid may be readily rotated by hand. The retaining arms extend from the underside of the lid and engage the underside of the annular lip to pull it into tight abutment. Diametrically opposed gaps in the lip act as passageway for the retaining arms. Similarly diametrically opposed notches in the lid align with the gaps to allow liquid to be poured from the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,761 issued to Wissinger is for an insulated container and cover combination that has an outer container shell terminating at an opening with a surrounding edge. An inner container shell is nested within the outer container shell and has an opening surrounded by a continuous edges in abutment with the surrounding edge. The inner container shell is spaced inwardly and is out of contact with the outer shell. A cover mounting assembly is attached to the outer shell adjacent to the opening. A single seal, made of elastomeric material, has a sealing surface disposed at the interface of the shells. Locating rings define the removable cover mounting assembly and locate the single sealing ring on the inner and outer shells.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited design patents.
It has been the trend in automobile manufacture to include cup holders in convenient locations within the interior of a vehicle for accessibility of the driver and passengers to retain a cold beverage or a cup of coffee within arms reach. This direction has escalated to include cup holders not only in the front seat but also within the entire interior of the vehicle some of which are stationary and others that retract when not in use. In most cases the cup holders are sized to handle a common soft drink container or a small cup of coffee which its basic diameter is almost universal throughout the world. Another trend has been to increase the capacity of the beverage container, therefore, in order to maintain accommodation in the cup holders the container must have a smaller base and be taller and larger in diameter at the top. This configuration presents a problem in that the vessel, either a coffee cup or cold beverage container, becomes unstable as the top, being larger, creates an unbalanced situation making it top heavy and susceptible to tipping with only slight contact or impact when the vessel is placed on a flat surface. It is therefore a primary object of the invention to utilize a removable docking station in the form of a base, integral with the container, which has a threaded cavity in the center and a docking station body with mating threads connected thereunto. This combination permits the best of both worlds in that when the coffee mug or liquid container is used on a flat surface it is substantially stable and yet when the docking station is removed it fits easily into vehicle cup holders.
An important object of the invention is that when the docking station is used in conjunction with the modern insulated stainless steel coffee mugs the combination becomes extremely stable on a desk top or table as the base is large enough to spread the weight evenly over a liberal area. This stability is extremely important as it is common to place a coffee mug in close proximity to keyboards, papers and work surfaces where coffee spills could be catastrophic.
Another object of the invention is seen when the docking station is removed, since the mug itself is unaffected in its utility and the bottom portion is specifically sized to fit almost all conventional cup holders in a wide variety of motor vehicles. The preferred embodiment of the invention is integrated into a double walled insulated coffee mug having a bottom diameter the same as a soda pop can which extends its adaptability to even the oldest vehicles having cup holders. Many newer motor vehicles have holders that are stepped larger to accommodate large coffee and beverage cups however they almost always continue to fit the typical conventional can configuration.
Still another object of the invention is noted when the docking station is attached, as it has the same basic design as the balance of the mug and is made of the same material as the top, therefore, not only is there no adverse effect on its appearance but it may be easily used without removal. The design is so ingenuous that it appears to be a integral part of the mug to the casual observer.
Yet another object of the invention is that the docking station may be removed easily by twisting in less than a full rotation. It is preferred that the threads permit complete engagement in essentially 180 degrees of rotation which is easily accomplished or in another embodiment only a quarter turn is required permitting complete attachment without repositioning either hand.
A further object of the invention is that the docking station may contain a resilient non-skid pad that grips the surface upon which the coffee mug or liquid container rests. This pad is a simple thin disc of rubber-like material held in place with pressure sensitive adhesive centrally positioned on the bottom of the docking station base.
A final object of the invention is its adaptability to almost any type of liquid container such as the aforementioned coffee mug with the liquid container used for soft drinks, water, soups, tea, hot chocolate and the like.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.